Congrats on first puzzle! You should put your name in brackets in the title, though, like "[Earnest] Hopeless". Done many thanks

She = H/A/F? (human/adult/female, if you weren't already aware of that) yes

Does she need help:To stay alive?No To have her physical needs met?No To stay out of danger?No To cure a disease? To make something? yes To fix a problem? yes-ISH To do her job?No To perform a task? yes-ISH, well, if I've well understood I would put here a DOYD of task

Is the man related to her?No, a part from the fact that he is helping her Is he in love with her?No Does he expect something in return for helping her?No

Technology relevant? Science? Religion/faith/superstition? Preserving something? Making something tangible? Did she want to do this in order to benefit herself? Other human (s), Nonhuman (s)? To the detriment of someone? Or something? Did the man think only he could help her? Is business relevant? Is the help financial in nature? Is crime involved? Fire? Something physically impossible? Magic?

Technology relevant?Not really Science? Religion/faith/superstition? noPreserving something?no Making something tangible? no, if I have understood well what you meanDid she want to do this in order to benefit herself?yes... Other human (s)but also this, Nonhuman (s)? noTo the detriment of someone? YESOr something? Did the man think only he could help her?yes Is business relevant?no Is the help financial in nature?no Is crime involved?YES Fire?no Something physically impossible?yes Magic?no

Did the woman want to do something criminal? Did she fail to do something criminal? Did she want to benefit herself financially? Socially? Romantically? Spiritually? Healthwise? Did she want to benefit a relative? Friend? Group of people? Did she want to hurt someone financially? Socially? Romantically? Spiritually? Healthwise? Kill someone? Rid someone of power or influence? Steal something? Did the man know about the crime involved? Did she want to hurt a criminal?

Did the woman want to do something criminal?yope Did she fail to do something criminal?no Did she want to benefit herself financially?yes Socially? Romantically? Spiritually? Healthwise? Did she want to benefit a relative? Friend?yes (not really relevant her relation with the one she wanted to benefit) Group of people? Did she want to hurt someone financially?yes Socially? Romantically? Spiritually? Healthwise? Kill someone? Rid someone of power or influence? Steal something?YES...explore Did the man know about the crime involved?no Did she want to hurt a criminal?no

very good, now you need to figure out why she needed help (and with these I mean: how the man could help her and why nobody in the world could help her); and why he got depressed (you are close)?

Did she want to steal: one specific wallet? Yes, the wallet of the man...but there is still a little FA...I cannot help you more...but the FA is not about the wallet...it is correct what you are saying, but let's say there is a simple piece of info missingAny wallet belonging to one specific person? A wallet that turned out not to exist? A wallet that was impossible to steal? Content if wallet relevant?No to the rest

The man that was trying to help her, was she trying to steal his wallet? Someone else's? Had she set up a situation wherein it would appear to the man that she needed help with something, and as he helped her she would be able to pickpocket him? Is this for a Candid Camera-style TV show or something?

The man that was trying to help her, was she trying to steal his wallet?This...but little piece of info missing Someone else's? Had she set up a situation wherein it would appear to the man that she needed help with something, and as he helped her she would be able to pickpocket him?THIS...but explore Is this for a Candid Camera-style TV show or something? No to rest

Say if you want an hint about the little piece of info you are missing but you are on the right track...try to figure out what could be a FA in the question of trebor...especially the second half: Had she set up a situation wherein it would appear to the man that she needed help with something, and as he helped her she would be able to pickpocket him?

Are there only three people involved in this puzzle? (The woman, the man, and the person the woman was trying to benefit?) More? Is the other person who benefits from this at the scene when the man is being pickpocketed? Is the man who gets his pocket picked actually the person who benefits from this? Is he the person who experiences a negative outcome?

Does she steal the wallet to put something into it, instead of taking the wallet or taking money out?

Did the man think she was in danger? If so, physically? Financially? Aside from being a potential criminal, is her job relevant? Is his? Anyone else's? Does the man willingly give her his wallet?

Are there only three people involved in this puzzle?YES (The womanyes, the manyes, and the person the woman was trying to benefit?see after...) More? Is the other person who benefits from this at the scene when the man is being pickpocketed? Is the man who gets his pocket picked actually the person who benefits from this? Is he the person who experiences a negative outcome?To clear: there are three people involved as tremor suggested: the woman, the man and another person who benefits from the man being pickpocket

Does she steal the wallet to put something into it, instead of taking the wallet or taking money out?No, irr.

Did the man think she was in danger? If so, physically? Financially? Aside from being a potential criminal, is her job relevant? Is his? Anyone else's? Does the man willingly give her his wallet?No to all

Does the victim ever realize that the woman wants to steal his wallet? Does the woman ask him for help? Is the beneficiary of the pickpocketing adult? Male? Related to the woman? To the victim? Does the victim get depressed because the woman wants to steal from him? Because he want the third person to get the benefit the woman wants to give? Is it impossible to give this benefit to that person? Is illness relevant? Debt? Poverty? Does the man get depressed because of the sorry state of society or humanity, as exemplified in the situation? Does the man fully understand the situation?

Can we call them Amy, Bert (the pickpocket victim), and Cody (the other person)? Of course

Is Cody there when Bert's pocket is picked?yes Is Bert's pocket actually picked?yes Is Cody aware of either Amy or Bert?yep If so, is it relevant how they know them? yes...but explore

The thing Amy needed help with: financial? A physical task? To get through a rough emotional time? Medical aid? Something else?This...and this is the difficult part of the puzzle...discover which type of help she needed

Does the victim ever realize that the woman wants to steal his wallet?NO, good q. Does the woman ask him for help?yes Is the beneficiary of the pickpocketing adult?yes...FA... Male?yes Related to the woman?yes To the victim? Does the victim get depressed because the woman wants to steal from him? Because he want the third person to get the benefit the woman wants to give? Is it impossible to give this benefit to that person? Is illness relevant? Debt? Poverty? Does the man get depressed because of the sorry state of society or humanity, as exemplified in the situation?No to all these Does the man fully understand the situation?NO...explore

Is the FA in GalFisk's question that Cody is a human? Is Cody human? If not, is he Amy's pet? Bert's? Is he a dog? Cat? Is he a guide dog? Is Amy pretending that Cody is a guide dog? Does Bert think Amy is blind? Is she? Does she (pretend to?) need help seeing something? Finding something? Navigating traffic? Counting money? Is it actually Cody who picks Bert's pocket? (I'm imagining something like a dog sniffing in his pocket and dislodging his wallet or whatever. Or grabbing something out of his shoulder bag, etc.)

Is the FA in GalFisk's question that Cody is a human?No...see below Is Cody human? yesIf not, is he Amy's pet? Bert's? Is he a dog? Cat? Is he a guide dog? Is Amy pretending that Cody is a guide dog? Does Bert think Amy is blind? Is she? Does she (pretend to?) need help seeing something? Finding something? Navigating traffic? Counting money? Is it actually Cody who picks Bert's pocket?YES! Have you figured out the FA now? (I'm imagining something like a dog sniffing in his pocket and dislodging his wallet or whatever. Or grabbing something out of his shoulder bag, etc.)No to these...Cody is a man that picked Bert's pocket...and this is all you need to know together with his relationship with the woman, which you are at this point really really close to discover

So were Amy and Cody partners in crime? Is Amy's job to act as a decoy? Could no one help her because she didn't need help? Was Bert depressed because he wasn't able to help her when he thought she needed it?

So were Amy and Cody partners in crime?YES...the FA was that there is NOT just one beneficiary of the crime but two Is Amy's job to act as a decoy?Very yes xD Could no one help her because she didn't need help?Hard to answer...her act was a decoy...so I would say explore Was Bert depressed because he wasn't able to help her when he thought she needed it?No

Did Bert learn something through the course of trying to help Amy that led to him being depressed? Did he become embarrassed somehow? Did he do something that he came to regret doing? Had he recently ironed his shirt, and in the course of helping Amy it got all wrinkly, meaning it had become de-pressed? (I'll show myself out.)

Did Bert learn something through the course of trying to help Amy that led to him being depressed? Did he become embarrassed somehow? Did he do something that he came to regret doing? Had he recently ironed his shirt, and in the course of helping Amy it got all wrinkly, meaning it had become de-pressed? (I'll show myself out.) Well, no to all but funny and nice try at the end. However, you have already discovered the reason why he got depressed (he was robbed)...the important and most difficult thing to discover now is... how?

Oh, okay. On the 25th you said that the victim (Bert) never realized the woman wanted to steal his wallet. But he did realize, then, that Cody had stolen his wallet, even if he didn't know that Amy was in on it? I took that to mean that he didn't realize at all that he'd been the victim of a theft, but that was probably me making an incorrect assumption.

Just to be clear, Cody and Amy are the only two beneficiaries of the crime, right? Because we established quite early on that Amy and another person both benefitted from the pickpocketing, so I'm not entirely sure what the FA that was lurking for so long was.

Was Bert aware that Cody was around when he was pick-pocketed? Was Bert actually wearing the garment that Cody pick-pocketed? Did Cody pretend to be a stranger to Amy who, along with Bert, wanted to help her? Are they all in the same location at the time of the crime? Are they indoors? Outdoors? Relevant what sort of space they're in? (Office building, public park, sports arena, etc.?) Did Bert have to hold or lift something in the course of helping Amy, leaving his pockets unprotected?

Oh, okay. On the 25th you said that the victim (Bert) never realized the woman wanted to steal his wallet. But he did realize, then, that Cody had stolen his wallet, even if he didn't know that Amy was in on it? I took that to mean that he didn't realize at all that he'd been the victim of a theft, but that was probably me making an incorrect assumption.Well the fact is that Bert didn't realize that the woman wanted to stole him neither that Cody wanted to spick his pocket. When he "finished" to help the woman without succeeding, Bert realized that he was robbed and thus get depressed. Sorry if I was not clear before but I was trying to let you discover the entire situation :S

Just to be clear, Cody and Amy are the only two beneficiaries of the crime, right?YES Because we established quite early on that Amy and another person both benefitted from the pickpocketing, so I'm not entirely sure what the FA that was lurking for so long was. Well the FA was that you were assuming that just the woman benefitted from the pickpocketing without considering the accomplice (Cody).

Was Bert aware that Cody was around when he was pick-pocketed?No Was Bert actually wearing the garment that Cody pick-pocketed?NO, good q. Did Cody pretend to be a stranger to Amy who, along with Bert, wanted to help her? NoAre they all in the same location at the time of the crime?Yes Are they indoors?No, but could work also indoor Outdoors?yep Relevant what sort of space they're in? (Office building, public park, sports arena, etc.?) Yes, but no to the examplesDid Bert have to hold or lift something in the course of helping Amy, leaving his pockets unprotected?No...if you want an hint just ask

Hope to be clearer from now on...just to recap...we have discovered that Cody and Amy were accomplices and they pickpockets Bert outdoors. Bert wasn't aware of Cody who stole Bert's pocket. Bert, after having helped the woman discovered that he has been robbed and got depressed for it. Now to discover is how Cody and Amy succeed in stealing Bert's wallet. Is it better now?

Are they at a performance of some sort? Are they at a pool? A beach/lake/river? Was Bert naked when his wallet got stolen? Was Amy faking drowning? Had Bert changed into different attire that was more suitable for wherever he was, and left his wallet in his discarded clothing? Was the clothing with the wallet left out in the open? In a locker? Did Cody work at the place where the three of them were?

Are they at a performance of some sort? Are they at a pool? A beach/THIS!lake/river? Was Bert naked when his wallet got stolen? Was Amy faking drowning? Had Bert changed into different attire that was more suitable for wherever he was, and left his wallet in his discarded clothing? Was the clothing with the wallet left out in the open?Irr. relevant to the puzzle is that the wallet was in a bag near Bert and Bert was distracted from it In a locker? Did Cody work at the place where the three of them were? No or irr. to the rest

Does Amy work at the beach, like at a drink stand or boat rental place or something? Prior to trying to help her, was Bert near his bag? Did he have to go away from his bag to help her? Was she trying to get him to do something? Say something? Look somewhere? Did she try to get him to throw something her way? In the course of helping her did he have to cover his eyes? Get his wallet out and put it back, thus indicating to Cody where it was? Did she fake needing help paying for something? Did she hypnotize him? (I've never seen a hypnotist perform at the beach, but hey.) Does Bert venture into the water over the course of this puzzle?

Does Amy work at the beach, like at a drink stand or boat rental place or something? Prior to trying to help her, was Bert near his bag?Yope Did he have to go away from his bag to help her?YES Was she trying to get him to do something?This.. Say something?but also thisish Look somewhere? and thisishDid she try to get him to throw something her way? In the course of helping her did he have to cover his eyes? Get his wallet out and put it back, thus indicating to Cody where it was? Did she fake needing help paying for something? Did she hypnotize him? (I've never seen a hypnotist perform at the beach, but hey.me neither but nice guess ahahahah) Does Bert venture into the water over the course of this puzzle? No to the rest (unanswered) or irr.

Trying to think of things commonly found at the beach that might be relevant: sand? water? shells? rocks? seaweed? a lot of other people? beach furniture? food/drink stands? sand castles? boats? surfboards? wakeboards? fish? animals? insects?Ok...so don't focus on the things that you may find at the beach, but what you usually do at the beach...again if you want an hint, please just ask...but I think you are reaching the solution

Things you do at the beach: tan? Swim? Other water activities? Read?THIS-ish...explore definitely Play beach volleyball? Play frisbee? Football (North American and European)? Sculpt things with the sand?

Read-ish...Sky-reading? (Like, reading sky-writing?) Reading on an e-reader? Decipher hieroglyphics? Read something in Braille? Is Bert blind? Read a text? With this type of reading, would one be reading actual words in a formalized written language? Reading music? Reading the intentions of people, specifically of those who wish to steal from you?

Read-ish...Sky-reading? (Like, reading sky-writing?) Reading on an e-reader? Decipher hieroglyphics? Read something in Braille? Is Bert blind? Read a text? With this type of reading, would one be reading actual words in a formalized written language?yes Reading music? Reading the intentions of people, specifically of those who wish to steal from you?No to the rest, though very creative ahahah...the -ish is referred to the fact that she was not just reading...she was also writing. Continue to explore the thing one could do at the beach connected to reading and writing

I'm confused by the wording of the question. It would seem logically impossible for him to help her if she was only faking that she needed help as a distraction, but did not actually need help in reality. Is that what you mean? That the answer is "because she did not need help"? Or do you mean "why could he not solve the crossword puzzle"?

I'm confused by the wording of the question. It would seem logically impossible for him to help her if she was only faking that she needed help as a distraction, but did not actually need help in reality. Is that what you mean? That the answer is "because she did not need help"? Or do you mean "why could he not solve the crossword puzzle"?The last one: she was solving a crossword and ask him if he could help her solving the crossword. She did it to distract Bert and to take time so that her accomplice could steal the victim's wallet. Now the question is: why it was impossible for him and for anyone to solve the crossword?...is it ok now?

Did she perhaps make up a fake crossword puzzle with no real answers?YES...see the answer for more details

$POILERSo it happened in Italy, my country of origin. A woman went in a free beach and placed herself near an old man. She was kind and soon began to ask him about the crossword she was making. The first two questions were simple and in order to make the old man trust her, she asked them laugh so that he could answer without moving from his parasol. After a while, she asked about the actual italian President, which is Mattarella. However she colored in black one of the white boxes, so that the correct answer did not fit. The old man, then, approached to see if the woman was right and to help her somehow. In that moment the accomplice stole the wallet of the old man and soon when the discussion between the woman and the man ended, she escaped with the accomplice.

Thanks everybody for having played, in particular to trebor! and congrats SurfingPickachu!Hope you joined it